G O R RE S PO ND E N C E. GIFTS TO THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. "CHARITY" NOT DESIRED. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—According to resolution unani mously carried by the members of this Association with reference to clerical gentlemen and others sending gifts here of second hand clothing and such like, I am directed to inform them through your valuable columns, with your kind permission, that it is the expressed wish of this Association that such practice should be at once and forever discontinued, as the things are not required and the very idea of al lowing them to be brought on to the ground at all is distasteful to us. We are sure it is much cheaper for us to buy what we need in this way, as we find that if we accept these gifts, given in what is termed Charity, ad vantage is taken of the fact, and the damage which may be done to our reputation by exaggerated and mis leading accounts being inserted in certain papers might cost much more than the articles are worth. More over a much better fiel...

AN EXCITING FRACAS. THE PRESHI2K &amp;lt;St MR. H. Y. SPARKS. I They were tioy s together—the Premier ; and Mr. EL Y. Sparks—and tliiey are I old afihtetie rivals says the Advertiser, | but the days when tbey played marbles j and spun topshavegonenever to return. Now, after many years, they have met. I in a pngilistie enconnter. The- story runs thus. Speaking at Part Pirie on Friday night, the Premier referring ta the deputation which waited on the Tneasorer, in respect to the State Advances Bill, said Mr. Holder had been exposed "to some impudent re | marks which were a disgrace to the man who made them—:Mr. Sparks'" who had "had the eool cheek to interrupt ; the Treasurer in the most uncalled-lor | manner." These remarks Mr. Sparks ! read on Monday morning,, and a little l>efore 10 o'clock he might have been i seen with pallid face, a cap on his head, and a riding whip in his hand en | deavoringfco "get satisfaction." be en countered Mr. Kingston in Yietoria sqnare walking ...

.,i.v,-■ ■. ■. v ' ' ' ' '•' on t;hjs MURRAY RIVER, The Great Waterway of Australia. RENMARK, South Australia. MILDURA, Victoria. IRRIGATION IN AUSTRALIA ilsftii i»iis§ed the experinieiitai simi is a j»iiceess, apparently unbounded In Its |>o§§ll!»iltfles to produce wealth, adding, as a concomitant, the domestic comfort, heai&amp;h and [happiness associated with a life devoted to cultural pursuits. Fruitp^wlng iii admimbly adapted to tSiat class, who, Itj circumstances, have not had any training in the working of the soil or in fruit culture, placing ho physical tax lipon the «frp&amp;ratoi* $ neither is it diMcult to master, while &amp;s an occupation it is really fascinating* At Miidura and Renmark the results from irrigation are wonderful, each colony art oasis in the wilderness—a pleasing sight for eyes to view. THE MOST LIBERAL WATER EIGHT IN THE WORLD. l'UR€ IE A H E OR nKFGEBKtt PAXitKNTS. Route to Ren mark. From Adelaide, to Morgan by train, 105 miles-, thence...

BOILING DOWN. I've been thinking, Mister Pioneer,, While a laying; in my bu.nk, Qh I no, y«>u needn't think it* I wasn't on the chunk* I wasn't that at all,. Sir* For I've tried the game and faun* That it isn't -worth the caudle When you coiae to. bosil it down.. Yes, there area fe~A-sly-grog- shcpsv And they do a roaring trade* Or leastways you would,1 thiiak rtr By the noiso that's, sometiexes, m&amp;de„. But the boys, will alii grow wiser* When they've pla»ke&amp; their money dojwa,, An4 find there*s nothing iaiit,. If you come too boil it dowm. There's a tidy lot oft experts, And among 'em ihe»e's a few* Who are very decent, fellows, And really earn their screw,. While there's others, whom I notice*, As I am going up the tovvu,. With very little in tliemv "When you come to boil iifc d'owik. "We have a water service,. And own to it we must* That the pipes are- not teetotal,. For they're always 00 the bust,. And though for each allotment, Where its laid tibey charge a p...

THE CAPE GOOSliliERRY Is a well-known plant, bearing fruit within a bladder-like calyx. It is peren nial and hardy in the warm districts of the colonies, ripening its fruit lata in the autumn- They are very popular in some countries where the fruit is. taken as a diuretic, and in America they are- com monly 3aten to quanch thirst, the berritSi having an acidulous slightly bitten, but by , »o means unpleasant taste. Their cui ' ture will be similar to that given foar the tomato, to which the plant is allied! Th« fruit is made into, a very palatable jam.

THE CHESTNUT. A most desirable and profitable 'shade tree is the Chestnut, (('asianea vesca). It is one of the most beauti ful trees known. According to the late Mr. W. Clarson, F.L.S., it grows to the height of 100 feet, is of colossal proportions, and is covered in summer with a wealth of large, cheerful green foliage, and paler green fruit, Home of the finest avenues in the world are composed of these trees—notably that leading to Aston Hall, near Birming ham. The tree is supposed to be a native of Asia Minor, and to have been culti vated in all parts of Europe for many centuries ; its fruits forming in some parts of the continent, an important article of food. The wood when young has the property of resisting decay for a long time ; but as the tree matures the timber becomes less valuable, the inner portion or heart of an aged tree being generally rotten. The young growths are used for hop-poles, posts, and stakes, as they last for a long time sound in the ground. The wood re se...

EENMABX PI. AN T AT IONS. MB. G. J. ORROCK'S. On Chowilla Street, Block C, just below the orchards of Messrs. Turner Bros., is the plantation of Mr. Geo. J. Grrock. it is in a forward state of development and will prove a profi table one in a year or two. Mr. Qrrock has 20 acres in this locality, the soil being the usual sandy loain so much in favour both at Benmark and Mildura. Situated just below the $4 foot channel and sloping gently eastward it is the right gradient for easy and effective irrigation. Four years ago six acres of the apri cot trees were planted. They are of the Moorpark variety, fine grown, healthy. vigorous trees. They have been pruned thiB year by Mr. S. J. Wescombe, who has cut them back rather severely. Mr. Orrock con siders this an advantage, as they had spread out too much at the lower branches, rendering work with the cultivator close to the roots impossible, and of course hand work was neces sary. . Last year they yielded about half a ton of fruit, and the...

. LOCAL APATHY. There are many matters requiring the serious at tention of our people, which will tend to promote the advancement; of the settlement, but impossible to be carried out in a satisfactory manner without co-opera tion. Co-operation is most effective under proper organisation. There are several institutions connected with Benmark, which may be naturally looked to for the purpose of initiating and carrying out necessary reforms. We have a Fruit Packing Union and a Horticultural ^Society, but these bodies are apparently in a state of supine apathy regarding the progress of the settlement and many of its im mediate requirements, so that it would seem to require almost volcanic action to arouse them. The latter has riot been heard of for months, though its committee might very well undertake the business of endeavour ing to exterminate the crows. The JPacking Union certainly we think showed want of enterprise in not sending exhibits to the Mildura Citrus Fair, held this week ...

TOB RERMRK P10REER, Published Eveey Saturday. A journal devoted to chronicling the results of irrigation and fruit growing in the settlement of Renmark. Advertisments: 8s. per inch each insertion, with liberal discount for greater space and more insertions. Standing advertisements from 20s. per quarter. Advertisements will be continued and charged for till countermanded unless the number of insertions re quired is specified on the order. Advertisements for insertion in any issue must reach the office on or before noon on the Friday preceed ing the day of publication. Subscription :—In advance, 8s. 6d. per annum. Posted, for Australia, 10s. 6d. For ltritish and Foreign parts, 12s. 6d. Single Copy Twopence. Correspondents, for whose opinions this journal is not responsible, must send their names and addresses to the editor, not necessarily for publi cation, but as a guarantee of good faith. Communications should reach this office not later than noon on Thursday if intended for inserti...

LEMON CUKING. THE CALIFOIINIAN METHOD CRITICISED. The Galiforuian method for curing lemons, which is to store the picked fruit away in a drawer until it has taken on adeep yellow colour, has in a recent issue of the Riverside Presa been made the subject of a few remarks by Mr. H. Day, a leading salesman of Now Yorfc, who remarked : .".Iain, certain that my friends in California have made a great mistake in following up their system of curing the fruit, putting it away in a drawer and allowing it to become that deep yellow colour, and to a certain extent to dry up. I am sure that if the fruit taken from the tree is allowed to go through a certain sweat and within say ten days is care fully wrapped, boxed and shipped to market, it will do well. I urged them to tryacarload of fruit prepared in this way andsenditto me here, thus allowing me to prove thecqrrectnessof my views, but [ the strong market for this fruit all over the country enabled them io sell what they had, so for the prese...

GRAFTING. This month those who intend to graft should select the scions for the purpose. Healthy one or two year old stoeks should be taken and in the position where the; bavebeeu grown cut down near- tne ground. A slice is then cut smoothly off with a sharp knife and a notch cut in the surface. This is. now ready to receive tbo scion, which must be cut neatly to lit the stock and one of the edges or bark of the scion aius-t be brought exactly iu contact with the edges or bark of the stock. They are both secured by a piece of waxed tape and the whole covered over with prepared clay or grafting cement. Other methods of grafting may be adopted, but it is. im possible to explain theiu lucidly without diagrams^